The Man From Vilna - The Powerful Song that Allowed the connection to happen (see story below)

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Here are the lyrics to the song:I met a man last sunday, who was on his way back homeFrom a wedding in Chicago, and was traveling aloneHe said he came from Vilna, a survivor I could tellAnd I helped him with his suitcase, he could not walk very well

A steward gave us coffee as we settled on the planeAnd I asked him why he bothers, at his age there'd be no blameHe said "no simcha is a burden, though I miss my dear late wife"And then he shared with me a story that has changed my view of life:

"We danced round and round in circles as if the world had done no wrongFrom evening until morning, filling up the shul with songThough we had no sifrei Torah to clutch close to our heartsIn their place we held the future of a past so torn apart

I remember liberation, joy and fear both intertwinedWhere to go and what to do, and how to leave the pain behind?My heart said 'go to vilna', dare I pray yet once againFor the chance to find a loved one, or perhaps a childhood friend?

It took many months to get there, from the late spring to the fallAnd as I, many others, close to four hundred in allAnd slowly there was healing, darkened souls now mixed with lightWhen someone proudly cried out, 'simchas Torah is tonight!'

We danced round and round in circles as if the world had done no wrongFrom evening until morning, filling up the shul with songThough we had no sifrei Torah to clutch close to our heartsIn their place we held the future of a past so torn apart

We ran as one towards the shul, our spirits in a tranceAnd we tore apart the barricade, in defiance we would danceBut the scene before our eyes shook us to the coreScraps of siddur, bullet holes, bloodstains on the floor

Turning to the eastern wall, we looked on in despairThere'd be no scrolls to dance with, the holy ark was bareThen we heard two children crying, a boy and girl whom no one knewAnd we realized that no children were among us but those two

We danced round and round in circles as if the world had done no wrongFrom evening until morning, filling up the shul with songThough we had no sifrei Torah to gather in our armsIn their place we held those children, the Jewish people would live on

We danced round and round in circles as if the world had done no wrongFrom evening until morning, filling up the shul with songThough we had no sifrei Torah to clutch an hold up highIn their place we held those children, am yisrael chai"

We danced round and round in circles as if the world had done no wrongFrom evening until morning, filling up the shul with songThough we had no sifrei Torah to gather in our armsIn their place we held those children, the Jewish people would live onAm yisrael chaiThe Jewish people would live on

The Jewish people WILL live on.(http://jewishmusic.wikia.com/wiki/Journeys/Journeys_4/The_Man_From_Vilna)